After 25 years, Saudi Embassy officially reopens in Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Saudi Arabia has reopened its embassy in Baghdad after a closure that lasted 25 years and the kingdom's ambassador submitted his credentials at the foreign ministry.

The kingdom closed the embassy in 1990, after Saddam Hussein ordered an invasion of Saudi ally Kuwait.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari on Thursday accepted the credentials of Ambassador Thamir al-Sabhan. Both diplomats underlined the necessity for their countries to boost bilateral relations in all fields.

Iraq has been balancing delicately amid the latest regional turmoil between Saudi Arabia and its longtime regional rival, Iran, in the wake of the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. The Shiite-led government in Baghdad relies on Iranian help to battle the extremist Islamic State group, but is also trying to repair ties to oil-rich Saudi Arabia.